​On the shore, Caspian stood like a statue, but he wasn’t as obedient as he looked. He shifted his weight, his head turning just an inch. He peeked over his shoulder, his golden eyes widening.

​The sight of her—completely bare, damp skin shimmering like pearls under the moon—made the heat in his blood spike. He watched the way the water trailed down her back and the curve of her hips. His chest heaved as he struggled to keep his feet on the shore. He wanted to jump in, to claim her right there in the lake, but he stayed back. He guarded her like a treasure he wasn’t quite allowed to touch yet.

​Hana heard the shift in his breathing. She knew he was looking. She could practically feel his golden eyes burning into her back, but she didn’t call him out. She was too tired for another argument, so she decided to let it go this time.

​Once she was done, she stepped out of the water and pulled her dress back on. It slid over her damp skin easily.

​Caspian was on her in a second. He didn’t wait for her to walk; he scooped her up again, his large, hot hands holding her tight. He didn’t say a word about peeking, but the way he gripped her told her everything. He was high on the scene.

​He carried her back to the cave with long, fast strides.

"Put me down here," she said to him once they were at the entrance, and he obeyed, though she could still feel his heart hammering in his chest.

She walked toward her sleeping area, where the furs were gathered up to make a soft bed. Every step felt like a chore. She felt clean for the first time since landing in this world, her skin still smelling fresh from the soap. Even though the place was sparkling, she checked her system window.

> [CIVILIZATION PROGRESS: 1%]

Still one percent, she thought. Whatever. I guess cleaning the house isn’t enough to save a planet.

She reached the pile of soft furs, but before she could lie down, Caspian was right there. The heat coming off him was intense. He sat on the edge of the furs and watched her every move with those glowing gold eyes.

"You smell... different," Caspian rumbled. He reached out, his thick, rough fingers catching her arm and pulling her toward him. He didn’t pull her down; he pulled her right between his knees so she had to look him in the eye.

He leaned in, his face stopping at her stomach for a second before he moved up to nuzzle the side of her neck. He took a long, deep breath, his hot breath making her skin tingle.

"Like the forest after a fire," he whispered, his voice vibrating against her. His hands moved to her waist, his thumbs tracing the curve of her hips over the silver dress. The fabric was cool, but his hands were like heaters.

"It’s just soap, Caspian," Hana said, her voice a little uneven. She rested her hands on his broad, scaled shoulders to keep her balance.

"I like it," he growled. He pulled her closer, resting his heavy head against her chest for a moment, just listening to her heart. "It smells like you’re finally home."

"She smells like she needs you to give her some space," Raiden’s voice cut in.

The fox was already curled up on the other side of the furs, looking perfectly groomed. He didn’t like that they left without him, but he could live with a few rejections and make a comeback. He patted the spot next to him with a smirk.

"Come here, Hana. I don’t run as hot as the lizard. I won’t turn the bed into a roasting pit."

​An oven. He means an oven, Hana thought, her eyes half-closing.

Caspian let out a sharp hiss, his grip on Hana’s waist tightening. "She stays with me."

"I’ll just stay in the middle," Hana said firmly, stepping out of Caspian’s hold before they started another fight.

She lay down on the furs, sandwiched between the two of them. To her left, Caspian was a wall of radiating heat, his arm draped possessively over her stomach. To her right, Raiden snuggled in close, tucking one of his soft, pink tails under her head like a pillow.

It was a lot of ego to manage, but the furs were soft, and she was exhausted, so she could put up with it.

But just as she was about to drift into sleep, a hand, hot and rough, found its way to her thigh and her eyes shot open. Someone was trying to make a move on her.

The hand was thick, calloused, and radiated a heat that could only belong to Caspian. He didn’t just rest it there; his fingers kneaded slightly into her skin through the silver fabric, a silent, heavy claim.

​"Caspian," Hana warned, her voice thick with sleep but sharp enough to cut. "I am two seconds away from kicking you out of this nest."

​The hand paused, but it didn’t pull away. "You are cold," he mumbled into her shoulder, his voice a deep, vibrating rumble. "I am just keeping the blood moving."

​"I’m not cold. I have a nine-tailed radiator on my other side," she muttered, referring to Raiden. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

​As if on cue, she felt a soft, silky pressure against her other hip. Raiden wasn’t using his hands—he was far more subtle. One of his tails began to slowly coil around her ankle, the fur tickling her skin, while his nose brushed against her ear.

​"He’s right about one thing, Hana," Raiden whispered, his voice like velvet. "You do smell incredible. That soap... it makes me want to see what else you can create."

​Hana felt the tug-of-war starting again, even in their sleep. Caspian’s grip on her thigh tightened in response to Raiden’s closeness, and the air between the three of them grew heavy with a different kind of tension. It wasn’t the heat of the fire or the lake anymore; it was the raw, primal energy of two predators vying for the same prize.

​"If either of you moves a centimeter higher," Hana said, her eyes still closed, "I will wake up the Alpha and make him sleep between us. Do I make myself clear?"